


Fragments of Truth

by Elenhin



Series: shards and fragments [2]
Category: The Almighty Johnsons
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-02
Updated: 2014-03-02
Packaged: 2018-01-14 06:50:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1256863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elenhin/pseuds/Elenhin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A requested sequel to Fragments, which is based on the One Word at the Time series by Aramirandme81.  </p>
<p>Axl nearly killed Anders over Gaia, and a small fragment of wood from the rubbish pile Axl threw him on was left in his neck, festering. Dawn finds out and steps in, while Anders has told the brothers a few points of truth. </p>
<p>A truth that his brothers might not care much for, but it is still the truth. </p>
<p>For Aramirandme81</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fragments of Truth

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Aramirandme81](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aramirandme81/gifts).



Fragments of Truth

 

By the time they came back with the antibiotics and a mild painkiller Anders had cleaned the bowls to the point where washing them hardly seemed necessary. The cupcakes were in the oven, and Anders was on the couch, fidgeting enough that Mike could tell the pain bothered him. He still looked hot with fever and wore one of Ty’s t-shirts instead of his shirt. Probably because it would be cooler Mike figured.

 

Old habit from when they were kids had made him read the instruction and the dosage to make sure he knew how much Anders was supposed to take and when. It had been his responsibility when they were younger after all.

 

Now he shook two pills of the antibiotic and one pain killer into this palm and gave them to Anders while Axl filled a glass with water.

 

“Why don’t you go lie down while those kick in,” he suggested. “You still look like shit Anders. And you know they will work better if you rest.”

 

“Fine, mum,” Anders pushed to his feet, heading to Ty’s bedroom. He closed the door behind him and Mike smiled.

 

“Still trying to play tough,” he grinned at Ty.

 

“He was wearing down before you got here,” Ty agreed thoughtfully. “Made me promise though to bet you that Axl will be able to steal his cupcakes.”

 

“You’re on, I say he can’t,” Mike grinned while Axl gave an indignant cry.

 

“You’d eat all his and you know it,” Mike pointed out. “Now help with supper.”

 

“Anders is right, isn’t he?” Ty turned around to face his oldest brother.

 

“He’s been known to, on occasion,” Mike gave a small smile, one that was just a little sad as well.

 

“He tells us the truth, and when we don’t like it, we take it out on him. We don’t always hit him,” he hurrie to add as Dawn fixed him with a stern look. “We just well, I don’t know…”

 

“He’s the punching bag,” Ty had just finished the icing on a cupcake, so Axl snatched it up. Pleased he was able to do so as it was apparently not one of Anders’. “What, it’s what he said,” he objected when Mike sighed.

 

“Anders, in his relationship to you three, as your brother, defines himself as the punching bag?” Dawn shook her head. “And you let this go on?”

 

“It’s more complicated than that,” Ty pushed the cupcakes the other way, away from Axl and towards Mike. He’d be satisfied with stealing one, whereas Axl would take them all. It was time to start on supper since the cupcakes were finished. “Anders will make us mad on purpose, you know that. And even if I know it, it’s easy to forget and get mad.”

 

“That’s what he told me,” Axl grinned. Proud that he knew this. “He makes us mad cause he figures we need to vent.”

 

“Vent does not mean he needs to go to the hospital,” Dawn flared up and Ty could not help it, he laughed.

 

“This is not funny,” Dawn turned on him.

 

“You’re talking to someone who has hugged Anders so he had to go to the hospital,” Ty grinned. “I find that a bit funny.”

 

Dawn blinked confused, “hugged him so he had to go to the hospital? How is that even possible.”

 

“Axl could be a bit over enthusiastic when he was young,” Mike grinned. “He kept forgetting that barreling into Anders at full speed to hug him would knock them both over. Broke his collarbone once, wrist, Concussion a couple of times, and not so long ago cracked his ribs.”

 

“I’ve already apologized like a million times,” Axl pouted.

 

“And nobody is mad at you for it,” Mike grinned. “But it’s true, Anders still does it, and we still do it. He pisses us off and we just let him. This, well, this wasn’t really your fault Axl, anymore than it was his,” he had to paus to think. Anders had said he felt violated too, and Mike had replied in anger thinking it was just Anders being a dick. Now he realized that Anders was doing just what he had said he did, he told them the truth and made them mad. “Shit!”

 

“What?” Ty wanted to know.

 

“This whole mess with Gaia, something Anders said,” he sighed. “It’s not something we can really explain,” he told Dawn. “For one thing, it would be an intrusion of their privacy, so we won’t explain more than we can, but, well, no matter what happened it wasn’t really their fault. Neither of them, but with Anders always sleeping around, well,”

 

“We blamed him,” Ty stated simply.

 

“He called himself a victim,” Mike shook his head. “Probably knew it would piss me off enough so I wouldn’t really listen.”

 

“Tell the truth, and make everyone think it’s a lie, sounds like Anders,” Ty agreed.

 

“So he was used as well,” Dawn did not like the sound of it.

 

“So he’d feel as bad about is as Gaia,” Ty nodded. “Probably worse.”

 

“No way, he couldn’t, he’s a man whore,” Axl could agree to a point, but he could not see how Anders was really a full victim. He was always sleeping around, screwing anything female. How could he possibly be upset by it?

 

“He’s older than Gaia,” Mike pointed out dryly. “And she was your girlfriend, which would make him feel like crap if you think about it. And they really do not get along, even Anders has his limits.”

 

“Only this time it was really out of his hands,” Ty agreed. “And you really have to forgive him Axl, really forgive him, not just say it.”

 

“Not so easy,” he pouted. “He totally ruined everything I had with Gaia.”

 

“And you killed him,” Ty was done pulling the punches. “Or would have if Michelle hadn’t been able to save him. But he’s not holding any grudges.”

 

“The point is,” Mike started catching Dawn’s eye before she could attempt to exact revenge on Axl. Dawn was surprisingly protective of Anders he was learning, and he liked it. “The point is, that no matter what we think of things, and Anders, at the moment we are no better than he is. Possibly even worse becuase he is the only one who’s honest about it.”

 

“And Anders wasn’t born this way,” Ty added. “A lot of it is down to Mum and Dad, and even Val.”

 

“I should have seen what Val was doing,” Mike sighed. “I can’t believe she smashed a glass in his face.”

 

“Well, why didn’t he just tell you?” Axl wanted to know.

 

This time Mike was not quick enough to step in as Dawn stood herself toe to toe with Axl. Intimidating him inspite of being shorter than even Anders. “He did it for you, becuase Valerie told him that the authorities would take you and Ty away from Mike if they found out. Valerie allowed Mike to punish him for it, for what she did. And he took it to make sure that you and Ty were safe, and if you ever, ever hit him again, and I don’t care what he does. What you did was unforgivable, and what would you have done if Michelle had not been able to save him!” she demanded. “But Anders protected you then, and he’s forgiven you now, in spite of having wood festering in his neck, making him sick, making him so sick he still might have died, and if you ever lay a hand on him again I don’t care how big you are you will answer to me.”

 

Axl could only swallow and nod, Dawn could be scary, really scary. He wasn’t sure, but he didn’t think even Odin would be keen on taking her on. He wasn’t sure what to say really, what did you say to Dawn on the warpath.

 

“It wasn’t really his fault,” Anders suddenly cut in from behind them and they turned around surprised. He really didn’t look like his normal self. Hair laying plastered to his forehead in sweaty curls, having undressed down to his boxers and a fever flush covering his body under a shine of sweat. Dawn wasn’t sure if she should be embarrassed to see her boss in only his boxers, or enjoy it since he was a quite good looking boss. Right now though, he also looked the perfect picture of misery. Before she could really make up her mind on anything but sympathy he spoke again. “And the way you’re arguing in here, it’s impossible to rest, so just shut the fuck up about it, okay?”

 

“Okay,” Mike agreed. “How are you feeling?”

 

“Like shit,” Anders gave him a pointed look. “It still hurts and I’m hot and sticky, and I can’t even have a fucking shower becuase of this shit,” he touched the gauze pad.

 

“I’ll run you up a cool bath, that should work,” Mike offered.

 

“Thanks,” Anders had heard them arguing, wondering if they would be able to stop putting all the blame on him. He doubted it, but it would be interesting to see them try. At the moment though all he cared about was that bath, and then the cupcakes.

  
The End

 

Please comment the Cricket is hungry.... 


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